Attributes:

Lyeth

Sonoma County, United States

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

clean, tart

2002: CGCW Rating: 87

honeydew, lime, melon, spicy, vanilla

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

Like its neighbor Napa, Sonoma is a small area filled with independent wineries and characterized by microclimates that vary according to the topography. The coolest parts of Sonoma are the fog-filled south, where the grape varieties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Northwards up the valley the climate warms and provides a good base for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. In general Sonoma wines are less dramatically flavorful than those of Napa. Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively soft, with blackcurrant fruit, minty and eucalyptus perfume, and some soft buttery oak. Zinfandel ranges from soft and gulpable to massive bramble and pepper styles. Chardonnay is rich and juicy, especially from the Russian River, and Sauvignon Blanc can be zingy and grassy. Most Sonoma wines have a freshness and a soft edge which makes them very suitable for drinking on their own, however they partner well with strongly flavored fish and meat dishes. The old-style Zinfandels are delicious with spicy cuisine.

Attributes:

Chateau Branaire Ducru

Saint Julien, France

Bordeaux - Red

750 ML

2007: Tanzer Rating: 88-91

bright

lean

stylish

bitter, blackberry, blueberry, camphor, cassis, chocolate, fresh herbs, licorice, minerals, violet

juicy

2006: Tanzer Rating: 90-93

bright

floral

berry, bitter, chocolate, dark berries, licorice, mineral, mint, peppery, violet

juicy, sweet

2006: Tanzer Rating: 91-93

black cherry, chocolate, coffee, currant, minerals, mocha

fruity, sweet

dense

2006: Tanzer Rating: 88-91

dense

2005: Tanzer Rating: 91-94

bright

floral

classic

bitter, black cherry, cassis, chocolate, dark fruit, licorice, plum, violet

2005: Tanzer Rating: 90-93

2005: WineSpectator Rating: 92

floral

blueberry, licorice, mineral

dense, round

2005: Tanzer Rating: 92-94

fresh

floral

deep

bitter, black cherry, chocolate, licorice, medicinal, mineral, mint, mocha, raspberry

ripe

silky

Food Matches:

A commune in the Haut Medoc district of Bordeaux. Its wines, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes, are rich, flavorful, and elegant with cedary bouquets. Modern St. Julien wines can be drunk quite young, but they age well, losing some of their blackcurrant flavor and develop a tobacco-like character.

Attributes:

Beaulieu Vineyard

California, United States

Chardonnay

750 ML

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.